Make the Smart Move to Wake County, NC 1 Being smart is about more than just having a high IQ. It’s about considering all options and choosing the one that offers the most benefit with the least amount of risk. When it comes to selecting a community for your business, yourself or your family, there is simply no smarter choice than Wake County, North Carolina. Wake County Population Growth Location 1990 2000 2011 Apex 4,968 20,212 38,691 Cary 43,858 94,536 137,540 Fuquay-Varina 4,562 7,898 18,638 Garner 14,967 17,757 26,342 Holly Springs 908 9,192 25,567 Knightdale 1,884 5,958 11,904 Morrisville 1,022 5,208 19,406 Raleigh 207,951 276,093 411,192 Rolesville 572 907 3,976 Wake Forest 5,769 12,588 30,152 Wendell 2,822 4,247 5,967 Zebulon 3,173 4,046 4,493 Wake County 423,380 627,846 925,938 2 Growing From a Great Idea Wake County is the Smart Choice More than 50 years ago, through the creation An Educated Workforce of the Research Triangle Park, a group of • Three Tier 1 Research Universities visionaries forever changed the course of North within 30 minutes of each other Carolina. Today, this dynamic region is home to • Highly ranked community college system a wide range of businesses including Fortune and top ranked state for workforce training 500 giants and thousands of small and mid-sized companies in the life science and technology • Nationally ranked public school system industries. So what’s the driving force behind Jobs, Jobs, Jobs these firms? The more than two million residents • High growth industries like IT, life sciences, that currently call the Triangle home. healthcare and cleantech combine with stable Within the Research Triangle Region, Wake County sectors including government and education is the largest and fastest growing. Its population of to create a diverse economic base more than 925,000 continues to expand at a pace Quality of Place of 65 people per day. The reason for this impressive • A temperate climate allows residents growth is simple: smart people want to live and to enjoy all four seasons outdoors work with like-minded professionals in a community • Short commute times mean more spare time that is well positioned for the future. • One of the safest places in the nation • A wide range of housing is available including many affordable options #1 Best Quality of Life Raleigh, Business Facilities , 2012 Boston New York Wake Forest 1 Rolesville 540 95 401 70 Washington, DC Morrisville 64 Zebulon Richmond Wendell Cary Raleigh Knightdale More than two million 440 64 64 1 40 WAKE people now call Apex 70 COUNTY the Triangle home. Garner Charlotte Holly 85 40 Springs 401 40 Atlanta Fuquay-Varina 3 Building a SMARTER Workforce Wake County is home to one of the nation’s most well educated populations. Almost half of Raleigh’s residents over the age of 25 have at least a four- year degree—a number that is close to twice the national average. Driving this trend are the region’s 12 universities and colleges which have a combined enrollment of over 100,000 students and confer more than 20,000 degrees annually. K – 12 With more than 149,000 students and 166 schools, the Wake County Public School System is the largest in the state, and the #1 ranked top public school system in the nation. Families are able to choose from magnet, year-round and traditional calendar programs at more than 104 elementary schools, 33 middle schools and 25 high schools. Wake County has an average SAT score of 1585, and 90% of students plan to continue their education with more than half choosing to pursue four-year degrees. Charter schools are public schools not affiliated with a local public school system. Rather, they are accredited and supervised by the State of North Carolina and are designed to encourage innovation in education. There are currently nine charter schools in Wake County. Whether you are searching for an independent or faith-based private school, there are a wide range of options for your consideration. Currently there are more than 71 private schools in the county ranging in enrollment from 12 to 1,200, including some of the top performing institutions in the nation. EducationAL AttainMEnT % of Population with % of Population with City High School degree or Higher Bachelor’s degree or Higher Raleigh, nC 88.4 45.5 Atlanta, GA 88.3 47.2 Austin, TX 86.0 44.2 Charlotte, NC 88.9 40.2 Jacksonville, FL 87.6 24.5 Nashville, TN 86.1 34.1 Orlando, FL 87.2 31.5 Pittsburgh, PA 89.3 33 Richmond, VA 81.5 34.1 Tampa, FL 86.1 32.6 Washington, DC 87.2 52.5 National Average 85.9 28.5 Source: US Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey | Population 25 years and older 4 Research Universities Shaw university is a historically black private liberal arts institution located in downtown Raleigh. north Carolina State university, located in Raleigh, Established in 1865, Shaw has an annual enrollment is home to more than 34,000 students from all 50 of approximately 2,400 students. states and more than 100 countries. A land grant institution known for its focus on applied research, NC State University is an impressive generator of new technologies, successful startups and rock-solid employees. The university is the nation’s 3rd largest recipient of industry-sponsored research among public universities without a medical school. duke university, in nearby Durham, has an enrollment of approximately 15,000 students with more than half pursuing advanced degrees. Medicine, Law, Engineering, Business and Divinity are some of the university’s most recognized and renowned areas of study. Research expenditures at Duke exceed $983 million annually. Campbell university has its Norman Adrian Wiggins #1 Metro with the School of Law in downtown Raleigh providing students with easy access to state and federal courtrooms and the region’s largest law firms. Largest Share of William Peace university is a 156-year old institution located just north of downtown Raleigh. WPU College Grads in enrolls more than 860 students each year with a student to faculty ratio of 11:1. Meredith College is an independent private women’s the Center City college located in West Raleigh. At almost 2,000 Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, Atlantic Cities, 2013 students, Meredith is the largest women’s college in the Southeast. The university of north Carolina – Chapel Hill, St. Augustine’s College, founded in 1867, is a founded in 1789, has the honor of being the first historically black college located 10 blocks east of public university in the nation. More than 220 years the State Capitol. Annual enrollment is roughly 1,500 later, Carolina is home to almost 30,000 students students. and for the first time ever eclipsed the $800 million mark in research grants and contracts. The Schools Community Colleges of Medicine, Business and Law are consistently Wake Technical Community College, part of the ranked among the nation’s elite. North Carolina Community College System, is a two- Universities and Colleges year public institution with more than 180 curriculum programs and an annual enrollment of more than north Carolina Central university in Durham 66,000 students. Wake Tech’s main campus is just was the nation’s first public liberal arts college south of Raleigh, but it has several campuses across founded for African-Americans. Home to more the county. In addition to curriculum and continuing than 8,300 students, Central has significantly education, Wake Tech excels at customized workforce expanded its research efforts with programs like training. These programs are designed to prepare a the Biomanufacturing Research Institute and well-trained workforce for eligible new and expanding Technology Enterprise (BRITE) leading the way. businesses, all at no cost to the company. 5 SMARTER Business Wake County’s corporate community has seen incredible growth during the past few decades. The best part is that the growth hasn’t been focused within just one sector. Quite the opposite in fact. The steady foundation of government, education and healthcare combined with high-flying sectors like IT and biotechnology results in a diverse economy, which has proven to be a blessing during the rocky times of the past few years. 6 Research Parks 2012 CounTy And MuniCipal More than 170 companies collectively employing PRoperty TAx rates 38,000 people reside within the 7,000-acre Research Triangle Park, making it the largest and Location Tax Rate most successful research park in the nation. Yet Wake County $0.534 even with all of its success, the RTP continues to Apex $0.39 redefine itself to ensure continued success over Cary $0.33 Fuquay-Varina $0.385 the next 50-plus years. Garner $0.49 nC State university’s Centennial Campus sits on Holly Springs $0.435 1,334 acres and was named the world’s top science Knightdale $0.41 research park by the Association of University Morrisville $0.3665 Research Parks. Located adjacent to NC State Raleigh $0.3826 Rolesville $0.44 University’s main campus, Centennial provides a Wake Forest $0.51 rich environment for collaboration between industry, Wendell $0.49 academia and government in a variety of disciplines. Zebulon $0.5125 North Carolina Taxes The corporate income tax rate for North Carolina MAJoR EMPLoyERS – PRivate SECToR is 6.9%. There is no local income tax. Employer Employment The sales & use tax rate is 6.75% IBM* 10,500 (4.75% - State, 2.0% - County).